The SBU uncovered officials from Oschadbank in Lviv region embezzling 5 million UAH from clients.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Cyber Police have uncovered an organized criminal group consisting of employees from the "Oschadbank" branch in Sambir, Lviv region, who defrauded bank clients for over 5 million UAH.

As reported on Tuesday, January 21, by the SBU and the Lviv Regional Prosecutor's Office, three officials from the Lviv regional branch of the bank are suspected of organizing the scheme – the branch manager, the head of the retail business sector, and the head of the cash operations sector.

“According to case materials, from 2023 to 2024, the perpetrators gained unauthorized access to the accounts of a specific category of clients. This refers to residents of temporarily occupied areas who had savings in financial institutions in territories controlled by Ukraine. Using client data, bank employees reissued about 50 payment cards without their knowledge,” the SBU's statement said.

Searches were conducted at the bank officials' premises

Once they accessed the cards, the scheme organizers withdrew funds from clients' accounts and misappropriated over 5 million UAH.

The SBU and police carried out searches at the suspects' residences, during which they discovered documentation related to changing financial numbers in the banking system, rough notes, and receipts for cash withdrawals from banking terminals. Three members of the criminal group were notified of suspicion for unauthorized actions with information in automated systems (Part 1 and Part 3 of Article 362 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

Law enforcement agencies are not disclosing further details of the case. According to information from court rulings in the judicial register, it concerns officials from the Lviv regional branch of JSC "Oschadbank" located in Sambir. The Halytsky District Court has imposed a preventive measure of house arrest for the branch manager for a duration of two months.